Cadence
by cleria
Summary: They say music and inspiration go hand in hand. [a collection of dickbabs one-shots and drabbles with influence from music] ((BONUS CHAPTER: Harley wishes they would all understand like the Joker does.))
1. Rainbow (Colorblind AU)

**Rainbow [F(x)]:** _Seeing the world mindlessly makes it look so colorful,_

Barbara dreams of what color may look like. She wants to see the color of the sky (The books she reads say blue, and Barbara can only imagine what blue would look like, what it would feel like), she wants to see the color of the water that rushes in the river beside her home, but most of all she wants to see herself in color. She wants to know her eye color (Everyone who sees in color says it's the same as the sky on a good day), hair color, and the shade of her skin.

Instead she gets gray, white, and black. Absences of color, she sees in the lack of color, of charcoal and the clouds.

Some tell her to never stop searching and others tell her to give up or he'll never appear. The first words come from her father, tangled in his sheets and eyes puffy from crying. "Barbara, search for him and never let him go." She remembers being held in her father's arms with whispers of: "Your hair is the color bricks and fury. Your eyes are the color of water and sadness." As if trying to keep these small details ingrained in his memory.

It's been three years now since her mother left and her father no longer sees in color. Ever since then she resolved to see in color, burying her nose in books on the theory, emotion, and expression of color. It wasn't until she was older that she understood what color was and why she should seek it out. Barbara didn't understand color until she saw it, until she met Dick Grayson.

* * *

She sees him for the first time at a circus. He's a trapeze artist swinging twenty feet above the ground. His hair is darker than the coal sky she sees every day, his expression of joy and his eyes that glimmered with light beg the colors to run off of him and into the world.

Her friend Bette is watching with rapt attention just like her, for a different reason. She doesn't see the faint hues of light that shift as if trying to morph into color flying from the boy.

She excuses herself from Bette as soon as his act ends, scrambling to find the boy and his trapeze families. She discovers the trailer labeled 'FLYING GRAYSONS' soon after and is almost hesitant to knock on the door. Swallowing her anxiety, she raps her knuckles on the door. It's answer by a man with hair the same shade as the boy's.

"Is the boy-" She feels like there's something lodged in her throat. "Is the boy from the trapeze here?" The man hums and throws a shout over his shoulder.

"Dick, there's a fan here to see you!" His voice sounds teasing and Barbara's face flushes into a color she's been told is red.

The boy named Dick appears and urges his father away before stepping outside the trailer and closing the door. "I'm sorry, did I bother you?" Barbara says to the boy only to see a smile spread across his face.

"Nope." He says, emphasizing the 'P.' He takes a seat on the grass and with lack of anything to do she sits with him.

The silence goes on for a few seconds before Barbara brings herself to speak again. "Do you see in color? You looked really happy on the trapeze." He leans back resting his body weight on his arms.

"No, my dad and mom do. They say it's practically magical."

"My dad did." Barbara finds herself saying, plucking blades of grass from the ground.

"Did?" He leans up.

"My mom didn't, she left him, because of that the color faded." Dick leans back once again, muttering a soft 'Oh.' She still feels his stare on her and curiously she looks up.

His eyes are tinted only what she can imagine to be the color of sapphires. "What are you looking at?" She asks as she looks at the hues of color splashing along his skin in wonder. He stares in her eyes.

"Blue." He says, sounding amazed.

Barbara smiles. "Blue." She murmurs looking back at him and the colors of the spectrum that painted him like a canvas.

* * *

They spend the next few weeks visited between their respective homes labeling everything with post it notes. Periwinkle, ivy, coral, as many shades as Barbara can see fills up her head. The world is so vivid around her and she can match the color to the emotion.

Barbara giggles as Dick lays on her couch, his legs across her lap. "Your sweater is navy blue." She pinches the fabric of the shirt and rubs it under the pad of her thumb.

Dicks chuckles before replying. "Your shirt is lavender." Barbara hums in acknowledgement.

"Do you think color will always be this beautiful?" His voice rings quietly. "Will it always be this special?" Barbara wonders the same thing as she splays her legs across his. Blinking, she stares up at the yellow ceiling.

"I hope so." She replies, her eyes sweeping the room, still not believing this was her dull and gray home two weeks ago. Her eyes lock onto the powder pink flowers she was given a week ago, resting in a green vase. Dick had given it to her it to her stating that it was the color he felt when they were together. Barbara promptly snorted shortly after but still kept the flowers healthy and treasured. "I don't think I can go back to the blacks and whites."

She feels Dick shift so he can look around the room also. "I don't think I can either."

Barbara moves her head to look at him, her auburn hair shifting. She gazes at him through the sunlight that filters in through her windows. She sees light-washed jeans, a navy blue sweater, and raven hair.

Most of all though, she sees the reason color exists.

* * *

 **a/n: starting my first multichapter thing in a while. well, technically not multichapter because it's just a series of oneshots. anyway it's all based off of song prompts and whatever plot reaches my head while hearing/seeing the lyrics of the song i happen to open on shuffle. not sure how many of these i'll write 10-20 though and they'll vary in length.**


	2. Love Belt (Apocalypse AU)

**Love Belt [Jonghyun]:** _You're my love belt, hold me tight,_

 _Hold me in this nervous world, (please hold me)_

They're sopping wet as they climb out of the river, gasping for air and holding in laughs. Barbara giggles as soon as she regained her breath. "I can't believe you pushed me off the jump." She wrings out her wet hair and wraps a towel around her waist.

"I can't believe you pulled me down with you," He retorts, shaking the water from his hair and taking a towel from Barbara's outstretched hand. "My back still stings from hitting the water." Barbara snorts from her position on the picnic blanket and pats the spot next to her.

"Whatever, you've had worse. Come and eat." He complies, sitting cross-legged next to her before snatching the sandwich from her hand and taking a bite. Her protest of 'Hey!' does nothing to deter him and soon the sandwich is gone.

Scoffing, she took another sandwich from the basket and gnawed on it. They sat in silence for a few minutes, Dick dozing off with his head in her lap. "Babs," He mutters sleepily. "This was our first picnic, right?"

Barbara mutters a soft answer. "It'll be out last too." She almost wants to take it back. Her mind is suddenly filled with everything she's seen the past few weeks. The headlines that speak of temperature spikes and radiation poisoning. The very thing that gave us warmth and light is killing us.

She sweeps the damp hair from his forehead as he drifts off. She wants to make a lot of memories before it ends. She wants to etch them into her brain, cherish them, and she hopes that it's possible.

She doesn't feel ready to leave yet.

* * *

The next day they get ice cream and walk along the street despite the sweltering temperatures. The day after that they go roller-skating, and the day after that they go and meet each other's parents. Barbara wants to make years of memories in the final week. So today they decide to go to the arcade.

The streets are empty, everyone scared to come outside and be at the mercy of the sun. Their hands swing back and forth as they walk in silence before Dick asks. "Do you think that this will stop?" He squints and looks up at the sky.

Barbara averts her eyes and replies with a question. "What? You mean the sun suddenly goes 'my bad' and goes back to its original position?" She too looks up at the sky, wanting to curse the star that's super-heating the Earth.

Dick laughs and Barbara can picture the small smile on his face. "Yeah."

"Probably not." Barbara answers, staring ahead at the arcade yards away from them. "I mean, everyone's given up hope at this point." Dick squeezes her hand.

"I dunno. Maybe everyone's just come to terms with it. I think I'm almost there." Barbara almost has the gall to feel offended that he's accepted losing her so easily. She quickly retracts the thought, it's not like they were leaving each other, they were going together.

"Maybe." She hums, gripping his hand tighter.

"Tomorrow is the day, you know." He meets your eyes and the indifference he displayed just moments before is replaced with anxiety.

"I know." Barbara thinks that maybe, she is ready. The churning of her stomach tells her otherwise.

* * *

"What do you wanna do today?" Barbara is sweating despite Dick's air conditioner on full blast. She watches Dick shift uncomfortably on his couch, sweat making his face moist.

"Can we. . ." Barbara licks her dry lips before continuing. "Can we just stay here?" She hates the quiver she can hear in her voice.

She knows the world is ending. Everyone will be dead tomorrow. The air is moist and hard to breath but Barbara sucks in a deep breath anyway. Trying to keep her composure. She can still remember the news when this fiasco began, newspapers and T.V. stations scrambled to find out if it was actually going to happen, reporters on television breaking out into tears, and even families huddled together wishing for a way out. She can still recall the choruses of 'I told you so' and 'I knew it' that came from the people she used to think were crazy.

She looks up at Dick's swollen eyes, caused from the last calls to his family, the last repetitions of 'I love you', and the last goodbyes. They had been like this for the last couple of hours, coated in sweat and just lying on his couch, arms and legs lazily entangled. Every half hour or so one of them would start to cry and just suck in deep breath.

She's says she's going to miss him and he murmurs the same words back to her. It finally occurs to Barbara that it's not just her dying, it's not just Dick, it's the whole _world._ A whimper fights its way up her throat and she blinks away tears. The heat is even hotter than she can gauge now and she tightens her grip on his shirt.

She feels his hand on her back curl into a fist as a burst of heat makes its way towards them. They both shiver involuntarily and Barbara can practically picture the world engulfing in flames. The tile in his kitchen has already melted and the glass in his bedroom window has shattered, causing them both to jump.

She knows the moment is here, she wants to speak before the hot air suffocates her. "I'll see you later Dick, okay?" Her words are short because her lungs feel like they're _burning_ and she wants to say so much more but can't will herself to open her mouth.

"Same, Babs." He manages to choke out and Barbara feels her eyes water. She buries her face in the couch and waits.

She looks at Dick one last time and as the world burns around them, she finally decides that, maybe, it's okay, that it's not the end of the world.

* * *

 **a/n: this is wrote in a different way than my other sad stuff? not sure but i tried. the next one is gonna be happier.**


	3. Come Back Home (Angel AU)

**Come Back Home [2NE1]:** _In a time where things change,_

 _The one thing that doesn't is,_

You find yourself watching sometimes. Mostly the interesting humans. By that you don't necessarily mean the ones with exciting lifestyles or fantastic jobs. Just the ones that have interesting personalities, like the boy who likes to make origami and give it to the ill old woman next door or the girl who singlehandedly started the only double-dutch team in the county.

These people are riveting and inviting. You're supposed to watch them anyway regardless, considering they're on your list. You find yourself watching them even when it's not an order. Through your endeavors you find that a lot of it is . . . sad. You tend to not dwell on that for long because then you start to wonder what their happier lives are like. The joy and love.

You turn when your name is called and face Kaldur, who doesn't necessarily look happy. In fact he looks sorta irritated. Whoops. It's past your shift again. "You're supposed to be sleeping."

You smile at his disciplined frown on his face. "C'mon, angels don't sleep Kaldur." You spin in your chair slightly and grin. "Maybe I'm not the one who watches the humans too much." You tease, but still careful of Kaldur's mood. He making a sour frown towards you and tips of his ears are tinted pink.

"You know what I meant Barbara." He crosses his arms and you take that as a hint to quit poking the slight agitated bear. "Why are you still watching him?"

You spin back towards the monitor and hastily click away from the profile you had open. "I'm doing my job." You feel your face is powdered with an embarrassed blush.

"Okay, let me rephrase Barbara. Why are you watching only him?"

"He's had a bad day." Kaldur purses his lips and you meet his hard gaze. That's what you're supposed to do as a guardian angel. Each one has a list of people that they watch and care for until they, well, die. You protect the humans you are assigned and watch over them for years until they are gone. From the moment they leave the Earth, they are erased from your list and you don't control where they go.

"That's not within job detail, you're a protector, not a comforter." Kaldur's eyes soften and you look away. He off all people should understand what it's like. Sometimes a soul just reaches out to you.

* * *

Dick Grayson was born to two trapeze artists from 'The Haly Circus' on the first day of spring. He was born a week premature but healthy nonetheless. His favorite color is blue and he's allergic to shellfish. His parents were killed by criminals in Gotham when he was twelve. He brushed with death that day and you as his protector, kept him safe. It wasn't his time. Unfortunately, it was his parent's.

You watched him closely since then, he was depressed and in an orphanage until he was fourteen, when he was adopted by a middle class family. They were nice and owned a cat that he loved until it passed when he was seventeen. He stayed with them until he graduated college and now lives alone.

You still watch him, as a blossoming cardiologist and a blooming romantic when he meets someone named Zatanna. You watch him when he gets his own office and Zatanna moves to a different city, leaving him heartbroken.

And now you're are currently watching him as he trudges through the snow towards his apartment.

It's against the rules to give anyone on your list special attention. That doesn't stop you though. You can recall every single cut or bruise Dick has ever gotten. The fact that he prefers cats over dogs. He likes children more than teenagers because they're more fun. You can name every panic attack he's had and every anxiety disorder he was diagnosed with after his parent's death. He doesn't like pretentious people or condescending ones.

It's honestly amazing that your superiors haven't caught on.

Dick's parents were on Kaldur's list. He watched them fall in love, have a child, and build a life. He's pretty good at not attaching himself to any of the souls on his list and he knows that when it's time for them to go, you can't stop it. But you could still see the melancholy reflected in his eyes when their names faded from his list.

The first night he spent alone when his parents died was in a police station and you watched his twelve year old self cry for hours before drifting off.

Your bosses catch onto your special treatment the day his adoptive mother is sent to the hospital for a stroke. Everyone does. They know that it's not possible and that it's wrong for a guardian to be this attached to a soul on her list.

* * *

The night you felt something was wrong, Kaldur berated you. "Barbara." You looked away as soon as he said it.

"He doesn't deserve to die." You know your place. You know Dick's. You also certainly know that you should contain your personal feelings and let things take their course. Dick is a good person who's been through so much. Why should he have to die before he can even do his first heart surgery?

You look at the screen and Dick, who is currently, literally, drinking his life away. "I can't let this happen."

"Barbara," His eyes are pooling with panic as he realizes your intentions. "You'll die." His words are a whisper and you feel tears fill your eyes.

You are fully aware of the situation but it's okay as long Dick gets to live his life.

You're beside him now, Kaldur trailing behind you. You're next to Dick as he climbs in his car, drunk and depressed. "Please Barbara." You smile and wave at Kaldur before everything becomes black.

* * *

You're awake and the clock in Dick's apartment reads 9:08 am, meaning it's morning. Which also mean it worked, Dick is safe.

"Hi, little one." You hear a groan from the bed and focus your eyes on the bundle of blankets and the blues eyes that are gazing at you softly. His hand pets your head and you don't reply, mainly because you're a cat. "You saved me last night, I would've been in big trouble."

His hands wrap around your stomach and he pulls you into his lap and pets your fur gently. You've done it. You broke all the rules, you're no longer a guardian. Your immortality is gone.

Over the next few months, you become Dick's pet. He likes to talk to you a lot about his troubles and aspirations. It almost makes you feel like you're a guardian again. He calls you Barbara, mainly because it's the name tag you came with, which also why the first few weeks, he searched for your apparent owner. He still says that they is probably a family looking for you somewhere.

You start to forget things about Dick. His grandmother's name and favorite color. The day he was adopted. This unsettles you and you begin to worry about your decision. One morning Kaldur is there, watching you from across the park and you know there is something wrong. He doesn't say anything and only stares at Dick and you in the park. His gaze his sad and you want confront him but Dick has rolled you onto your back and is petting your stomach. His eyes stay on you the whole time and they scream, _I hope this is what you wanted._

* * *

The day you forget his birthday is the day it happens. You slip out the door Dick did moments earlier desperately trying catch up to him. You run through the streets ignoring the outstretched hands of children and shouts of 'kitty!'

You seem him in the distance at the crosswalk and you pick up speed, your red hair flying behind you. You don't take notice of this until you hear the shouts and cries of "Look, angel!" Your wings outstretch as the car comes, barreling through the red light towards Dick. There screams as you tackle him, throwing him to the side. You remember.

He was born on the first day of spring and his favorite color is blue and his grandmother's name was Mary. He once cried when he found out his second mother had a stroke and cried again when she made a full recovery. He likes to let you sleep on his stomach. He's kind and has never really had an official girlfriend. He's Dick Grayson.

He's the human you fell from the sky for.

He's the human you died for.

* * *

 **a/n: this wasn't the original chapter 3 but i finished it first so oh well. yes i did write this in second person mainly because it was supposed to be a different story but ended up here instead, but i enjoyed writing it this way. next chapter will go back to my normal style though. i havent mentioned this before but please leave reviews? :^)**


	4. View (Lifeguard AU)

**View [SHINee]:** _Such a beautiful view, (take me)_

 _Show me more, the next view, (show me more)_

 _Such a beautiful view,_

 _The sky is beautifully spread,_

* * *

"Barbaraaaa," Barbara frowns as she flips though her magazine, ignoring Bette's cries for attention. Last time Bette was pleading like this it ended with Barbara replacing her on her date with the head of chess club. "Let's go to the beach." Barbara stops mid page turn and gives a suspicious glance towards Bette, which was a mistake because she has her 'you're a terrible best friend if you don't do this' look on her face and Barbara can feel her resolve crumbling.

Narrowing her eyes at Bette for a split second, she turns back to her article on how straighten frizzy and unkempt hair. "No," She can hear a disappointed puff of air escape Bette's lips. "Besides, whenever you're like this there's always a catch."

Bette fakes a gasp and rest her hand over her heart. "Barbara Gordon, how dare you accuse me of such things? I just wanted to go the beach with best friend so I can get her opinion on which life guard is cute or not." Bette from the month old issue of 'Gotham Style' from Barbara's hands and she turns to snatch it back so quick that her red ponytail slaps the other side of her face.

Her hand catches nothing but open air and Barbara spits hair out of her mouth. "See?" Barbara shouts. "You want me to play matchmaker!" Bette laughs, waving the magazine in front on Barbara.

"Duh." Bette stows the magazine in her purse and Barbara knows that it's a lost cause to retrieve it then. Bette's purse is like the closet from Narnia and just swallows whatever is put in it. "You can get that back when we get to the beach."

Barbara lets herself slump onto the pillow. "It's going to be your fault if I end up with humidity hair forever." Bette scoffs and grabs Barbara by the wrist, pulling Barbara to the closet that contained her multiple bathing suits.

"C'mon time to go life guard hunting."

"You are truly terrible."

* * *

So that is how Barbara ends up on the beach in a loose pullover and jean shorts with the sand getting uncomfortably lodged, well, everywhere. She wrinkles her nose from under the beach umbrella as Bette winked at the life guard on top of the tower. "Bette," She lightly punches her friend's arm.

The sun-kissed blonde blows a kiss at him before turning to Barbara. "What?" She asks in a tone that's clearly taunting. "I'm only being friendly." Barbara gives an eye roll and returns her gaze to her recently returned 'Gotham Style' issue.

She makes it through another twenty minutes of reading before Bette bothers her again, which in all honesty is a new record. "Barbara let's play volleyball." Bette tugs on her sleeve and points over to the court, which consists only of sand and a net.

"No way," Don't get her wrong. Barbara is a sporty girl and enjoys a multitude of activities. Just not with the new senior class of Gotham High School and a life guard, who is in her math class. Bette groans and falls back into the sand.

"Why not?" She pleads. "You love sports."

"Since when do I have to be with you for everything?" Barbara snaps and she rests her eyes on the court again.

"Since I took it upon myself to bring you out of your zone." Bette turns her head towards her friend. "A lot of people see you as . . . snappy."

Barbara prefers the words feisty but can definitely see how she can come off as blunt. There was the one time in junior year she told a freshman that he was a child compared to her when he asked her to the dance. Then another time where a classmate wanted to copy notes for English and she accused him of wanting to cheat and found out later that he was just absent a couple of days before.

"Point taken. Fine." Dusting off her shorts she looked down at Bette who just squinted in surprise at her. "You coming?" Bette scrambled up, smiling at how easy it was to persuade her friend.

Bette had a fairly easy time sweet talking their way into the match. Meanwhile Barbara identifies the seniors as various members of the football team with other sports kids peppered in. The life guard that she identified to be a classmate turns out to be Dick Grayson.

Upon realizing this, Barbara immediately wants to scram and was busy tugging on Bette's sleeve urgently to alert her when he spoke. "Barbara," He waves, jogging over. "You gonna play this match?"

"Yeah." Barbara almost winced at how curt she sounds would really like to bury her head in the sand and never be seen again. Way to be rude to the millionaire's son.

He's not deterred and sticks out his hand. "Get ready for some friendly competition." He smiles slightly with just a small bit of his white teeth showing and Barbara would think it was charming if she had not just agreed to play this game of volleyball by shaking his hand.

If she's going to play, might as well play it right. She smirks, competition isn't something she takes lightly. Barbara also finds out within the next few minutes that it's not something Dick takes lightly either. He scores twice in ten minutes before Barbara actually decides to switch Bette out for someone who can actually play.

Soon after, Barbara scores the winning hit, smugness seeping in her features as Dick laughs and begins chatting with everyone else. Her attitude soon dies out as she's lifted off the ground by various football players. Panic fills her as they march towards the ocean, jovial and loud, unable to hear Barbara's cries. Barbara throws her head back, spotting Bette chatting with Dick and they're already half-way down the beach when Bette finally hears the shouts of her name.

Barbara can't do much to fight against the grip of seven football players as they enter the water. They mean no harm of course, but a simple prank like dumping someone in the water after they win a game is not a prank to someone who can't swim.

She can vaguely hear Bette and Dick splashing their way towards her and the football players. She assesses that the water his up to their chest and with them being as tall as they are it is definitely over her head.

She's dumped in before she can form a sentence and salt water fills her mouth. She thrashes and feels the waves carry her deeper and away from the seniors by at least a couple of yards. There's blurs forming in her vision of the murky ocean water and her chest feels like it's gonna cave in on itself as another wave crashes into her. The last of her breath seeps from her mouth and she can feel a sluggishness overtake her. The last thing she feels are a pair of hands wrapping around waist and tugging her back towards the shore.

* * *

She wakes up soaked and covered with moist sand, which is gross, but not as gross as the salt water taste residing in her mouth. Barbara is also aware that there is an equally soaked Dick Grayson hovering over her face and she flails on the sand to get to a sitting position and almost knocks heads with him. "I take that as a sign that you're fine." He grumbles.

"Did you give me CPR? I'm sorry. Did I almost drown? Am I dead? Where are the boys who threw me in?" Barbara spits out questions rapid fire, ignoring Dick's loud chortles. Barbara glares at him through her stringy wet hair matted with sand.

"Yes. You don't have to be sorry for drowning. Yes. No. They ran away as soon as they saw me dive in after you." Barbara ignores the mixed feelings about the CPR and frowns. What kind of people leave after almost drowning a person? Even if it wasn't intentional. "You going to file a report on them?" He jabs his thumb back to point at the life guard station.

"No, not like it was on purpose." Barbara does her best to claw the wet sand out of her hair and wring the salt water out of it. "Besides you were there to save me." She says offhandedly and nearly flinches at the embarrassing comment, her face tinting a nice red over her freckles.

His owns ears are dusted a nice pink and he gives a grin. "I am a life guard after all." There's a thick silence for a minute and Barbara wants nothing more but to wallow in misery. She is _never_ going to go out with Bette again. Speaking of which. . .

"Where's Bette?" Barbara knits her eyebrows, sorta peeved that her best friend seemingly ignored her almost drowning.

"Babs!" Speak of the devil and he shall appear. Arms were thrown around her neck and Bette is wailing. "I'm sorry! I didn't see until last minute and-"

"Bette," Barbara wheezes trying to pry the blonde's arms from around her neck. "I just almost drowned and now you're gonna choke me." Bette immediately retracts her iron grip and shoves a bottle of water in Barbara's face.

"Here," Barbara rolls her eyes unscrewing the cap and taking a swig, washing away the ocean water residue in her mouth.

Bette is crying again, snot running out of her nose. Dick is awkwardly sitting off to the side as Barbara cradles the sobbing girl in her arms and you would think Bette was the one with the near death experience.

"I hope you know," Barbara drawls. "I am not taking your advice ever again."

Bette just gives another wail and Dick cackles from his spot on the sand. What a great way for summer to start.

* * *

Ironically, Barbara finds herself at the beach more often after that. With and without Bette. Regardless of whether she's with someone or not it's still odd for someone who almost drowned the week before. It's also especially odd when she only shows up at the beach when Dick Grayson is on life guard duty.

Bette may be airheaded but she's not stupid. "You like him!" She sing-songs, giggling as Barbara kicks sand at her. "Your Prince Charming!" She cries, giving a faux swoon. Barbara kicks more sand at her and is strangely satisfied when she hears. "Gross, you got it in my mouth!" Followed by spitting sounds.

"I don't." Even Barbara knows that's a weak denial.

Bette gives a devilish smile and turns her body, waving at the life guard tower where Dick was perched. "Yoo-hoo!" Bette shouts, her tone teasing.

Barbara's eyes widen. "What are you doing?" She hisses.

"Mr. Grayson, my friend wants to speak to- mmhph!" Barbara tackles Bette into the sand, covering her mouth.

"No I don't!" Barbara shouts at Dick, who has his full attention on them. Even behind his sunglasses Barbara can tell his eyes are full of mirth as he watches Barbara pin the blonde girl to the sand, her hand still covering the laughing girl's mouth.

He nods, giving a pearly smile and Barbara has too much pride to be reduced to a swooning girl. Barbara sighs in relief and releases Bette, who is hysterical and mocking.

Barbara takes the rest of her teasing like a champ, just happy that Dick had taken no notice of her.

Well, that was until he did. Barbara was just hoping to get off the beach unscathed and yet . . . "Hey Babs," Barbara raises a brow at the nickname. "Glad you could stay out of the water this time." He smiles like he's being genuine and Barbara scoffs.

"Don't worry though, I'll be on shift to save you if you do. You always seem to be here on my shift anyway." Barbara reddens and Dick's grin widens.

"I hate you." He lets out a loud and bellowing laugh.

What a great way for summer to start.

* * *

 **a/n: this was different and longer but eyy it's done. shout out to jdcocoagirl for actually leaving a review. next chapter i have no plans for, i only have two unfinished chapters and one chapter for a multichapter fic. if anyone has any themes they would want for the next chapter just tell me in a review. which you should also leave. honestly.**


	5. Jackpot (Bonus: HarleyJoker Dynamic)

**Jackpot [Block B]:** _Human greed is endless,_

 _And they repeat the same mistakes,_

 _If you live leniently and try for success,_

 _You won't make it halfway,_

Let's get one thing straight. Harley Quinn is not Harleen Quinzel. Harley was never Harleen. They are two separate entities. Just in one body. Harley is oh so tired of explaining this.

Which is a majority of the reason why she doesn't anymore. She's tired of 'we can help you' and the skeptical eye raises. Mr. J understands though. He understands that Harleen is not just a morphed personality named Harley and Harley is not just Harleen revamped.

He understands and Harley feels the fondness, or pride, he radiates as he traces her jaw with a murmur of "You're my masterpiece." Harley smiles brightly and Harleen isn't quite sure how to feel about being an object of display.

Harleen gets a little loud sometimes, especially at night. She's not allowed to sleep in the bed with Joker. Harley reasons that it's that he likes his space but Harleen bites back bitterly in the back of head that if he truly cared she would have at least a blanket while lying on the cold floor.

* * *

Harley is shocked when Joker leaves her to die for a fifth time. Harleen is definitely less shocked. As she slowly bleeds out on the pavement with shrapnel surrounding her as remnants of the explosion, Harley lets a little of Harleen slip through.

She lets the bitter thoughts, emotions, and pain run rampant. The heart crushing disappointment and the pain that stomps on her ribcage. Harley cries for the fifth time since her stint with Joker began. The warm and sticky tears don't stop until she passes out, a blackness engulfing her.

She spends three months in the ICU before being carted off to Arkham again. Harley always hates the healing process the most. It leaves her with nothing but her thoughts, her hands and feet cuffed to her bed railing. Everything always hurts, her body, her thoughts, and her heart. There's nothing to keep her going like the first when she was left with a rose from Mr. J.

She hasn't received a rose since her second time in the hospital and Harley tries so hard to understand. So so hard. She wants to understand why there isn't a rose, an apology, or a visitor. She reasons that he doesn't want to be caught when she can't come up with anything better. Though the lingering words of Harleen always sit in the back of her skull. _He doesn't truly care._

Harley always tries brushes it off, Harleen is just like those white coats with their 'I can help' or 'you need to understand' philosophy.

Harley doesn't want to understand.

* * *

There's a difference when she arrives at Arkham this time. She's led past her normal cell that had strangely homely feel and to a different part. A scarier one, Harley shivers.

It's later that night when she asks a guard. "Where am I? This isn't my usual cell." She's sitting cross-legged on her thing mattress with her head cocked at the guard.

He smirks, moving towards the glass of her cell. "Well Sugar," Harley releases a guttural snarl at the condescending nickname. "You're in the real looney bin now." Harley briefly wonders what constitutes her as a 'real' looney.

She later knows exactly where she is when she hears Zsasz's manic laughter followed by screams later that night. A bile fills her throat and Harley realizes that she's bitter towards the Joker.

She doesn't dream of him that night.

* * *

Followed by the hospital, the evaluation is Harley's least favorite part. It's always a man or woman in a white lab coat with a clipboard looking vaguely nervous there to 'get a look inside her mind.' Harley prefers the word 'pry' instead of 'get a look.'

It's a violation and Harley wishes they would call it that, though part of Harleen sympathizes with the strangers with the clipboard. "So, where should we start?" The person here to invade her mind is a woman this time, in her mid-forties with rapidly graying hair.

Harley takes to whistling, tapping her fingers against the metal arms of the chair due to the restraint of her wrists. The woman is obviously unsettled and Harley wants to smirk. Instead, she leans forward and whispers lowly.

"Aren't we all a little crazy for love?"

* * *

She's on the Suicide Squad now. It's a fancy name for 'a bunch of expendable people.' They're on a mission to receive info from some government for . . . something. Harley didn't really listen to the briefing at all. But that's what she has Deadshot for.

"Say, Deadshot," Harley blows a wisp of her purple and red hair from her face. "What do you say we blow this popsicle stand and just rush in?" Harley hates recon. The sniper gives her pointed look.

"No. Especially not with you." Deadshot resumes his eagle gaze on the court building that the official is supposed to come out of.

"Why not?" Harley leans back onto the cement of the roof they're currently on top of, letting a disappointed puff of air escape her lips.

"I have a no clown policy." The metallic taste Harley has come to associate with bitterness fills her mouth. She finds herself spitting back an insult.

His no clown thing must be pretty weak because Harley finds herself kissing him months later. There's no adrenaline or excitement. There is no disgust or hate. The kiss is numb and Harley wonders, only for a split second, if this is how Mr. J feels about her.

* * *

He takes her back weeks later. Her heart, though hardened, melts at the sweet nothings whispered in her ear. Harleen notes that they never contained 'I love you.' Harley ignores the thought and enjoys the momentary affection.

He's arrested the next week and Harley is immensely sad. Harleen notes the timing of his return to Harley's heart and his return to his cold cell.

* * *

They're at Deadshot's funeral when she meets him again. For the first time Harley doesn't feel a buzz of excitement at the sight of him. Fear shoots through her and she scrambles away at his feral gaze. She ignores the body limp on the ground from his laughing gas and locks her eyes on his.

"You're just like all the other Harleys!" He bellows and Harley flinches upon the realization that she is not his only creation. The chest stomping pain is back.

Harley no longer wants to be the Joker's masterpiece.

 **a/n: it's been a while since i updated but here is a bonus harley/joker thing that is essentially a rewrite of one of my other stories in the form of a bonus chapter. anyway please review and stuff, see you soon for some more dickbabs i guess.**


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